


Going Home

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: The King and King of L.A. [5]
Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:16:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6267391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zero's never home anymore. His cleaning staff aren't the slightest bit surprised.</p><p>(They also completely approve.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Home

**Author's Note:**

> This could be set pretty much any time after 3X05.

Technically, Zero still went back to his place occasionally, even if it was just for long enough to grab something and bring it with him to Jude’s place. The amount of closet space over there was probably going to be an issue at some point, but until Jude said something he wasn’t going to worry about it.

As he slipped inside the front door today, though, he realized he had other things to worry about. He could hear a Spanish pop radio station playing in the kitchen, which meant that Sophia or one of her people had come by to clean. Which meant they’d _definitely_ noticed that he’d basically stopped living here for the last few weeks, _again_. If he’d thought the conversation that had happened last time had been awkward….

He slid the keys back into his pocket rather than dropping them on the table, moving silently and choosing the angle through the living room that would make him the least visible from the kitchen doorway. He hadn’t gotten three steps, however, before the radio abruptly shut off. “Mr. Zero?” Sophia called out, her tone making it clear she already knew the answer. “Is that you?”

He froze, thought briefly about running, then told himself to stop being an idiot. “Yeah,” he called back, resigned to whatever happened next. “I’m just here to pick up a few things.”

Sophia appeared in the doorway, arms folded across her chest and an amused expression on her face. She had one of those kind of faces that could be anywhere between a tough 40 and a really good 60, and though they knew nothing about each other’s lives she was unflappable in a way that suggested she’d been through a hell of a lot. Sophia and her team had been with him since he’d moved to L.A., and the fact that none of them had ever leaked anything during his Christian shtick had been more than enough to prove their worth. Zero had no trouble paying them enough to keep them happy.

The amusement he could see in Sophia’s eyes now, however, probably didn’t have anything to do with money. “I knew you wouldn’t be staying long. There hasn’t been much to clean, lately.”

“Ah, no.” Zero’s eyes slid away from hers. She sort of had the same trick Jude did, looking at you like she could see right inside your head. “Probably time to go back to once a week, and even then there won’t be much more than dusting.” He paused. “I’ll still pay the same, of course.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about that.” Her tone was gentle now. “I’m just happy for you.”

That surprised him enough to meet her eyes, brow furrowing. “Last time you seemed to think this was some weird roundabout way of firing you all.”

Sophia gave him an exasperated look. “Because you wouldn’t have liked it if I’d said I was worried about you. I knew the life you lived, and when you only came here to change your clothes I was afraid that you were living it harder than any man should.” Then she smiled. “Now I know you were just going home to your sweetheart.”

Before this, Zero would have sworn he was physically incapable of being embarrassed. He cleared his throat. “It’s not a big deal.”

She gave him a disbelieving look. “The big, bad basketball player looks like a little boy when I mention his man. It is a very big deal.” She walked over, reaching up to give his cheek an affectionate pat. “I see your Mr. Kinkade in pictures and on TV sometimes. His eyes are not so sad as they used to be. You’re doing a good job.”

Zero’s chest caught, oddly warmed despite the fact that the whole conversation felt really surreal. “Ah, thanks?”

She gave him an amused look. “I know you don’t use the word very often, Mr. Zero, but it is not meant to be a question.” She took a step back. “Mr. Kinkade’s place. It is much smaller than this, yes?”

He hesitated, wondering where she was going with this. “Yeah.”

Sophia smiled a little, looking satisfied with the answer. “I thought so.” She looked around. “We could clean it, too, if he would like. No extra charge, since we don’t do so much work here anymore.”

Zero couldn’t help but grin at the thought of Sophia and her people bustling through Jude’s small rooms. “I’ll let him know.”

“Good.” She turned around to head back to the kitchen, giving him a wave over her shoulder. “Enjoy your sweetheart, Mr. Zero.”

The smile lingered on Zero’s face as he headed back to his bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my new original fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)


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